The invention relates generally to recording persons, such as accomplished by video surveillance systems, and more particularly to storing a photo of a face of a person in response to detecting the person or in response to another event.
Video surveillance systems, such as those used in small business settings like convenience and other stores, usually employ one or more video cameras. The video cameras are typically located in strategic positions within the given environment. For example, in a store, there may be one video camera aimed at the entrance to the store, and another video camera aimed at the counter of the store at which sales are rung up, such as where a cash register is located.
These surveillance systems may have the capability of recording on videotapes all people entering, making a purchase, and/or leaving the store. If a theft, robbery, or break-in occurs, the videotapes can be reviewed to determine whether a good image of the perpetrator has been recorded. This image can then be compared to mug shot databases maintained by law enforcement, circulated to news media to display during newscasts and in newspapers, and so on.
However, such surveillance systems have some disadvantages. For example, if a theft has occurred, but the exact time of which is not known, several days worth of videotape may have to be reviewed to learn who has perpetrated the theft. This can be a very time-consuming and inconvenient process. Furthermore, the image of the perpetrator recorded on the videotape may be of poor quality, making a positive identification from the image difficult if not impossible.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.
The invention relates to a face photo storage system. A system of one embodiment includes a digital camera, a detection mechanism, a face detection and selection mechanism, and a database. The digital camera takes one or more photos of a person in response to the detection mechanism detecting an event, such as a cash register having rung up a sale to the person, the person entering the premises, and so on. The face detection and selection mechanism determines the best photo of the person that includes the best picture of the person""s face. The database stores this photo, along with at least a current date in which the photo was taken. The database may also store the current time at which the photo was taken, a transaction record of the person""s purchase, and so on.
A method of one embodiment of the invention takes one or more photos of the person, and determines the best photo that includes the best picture of the person""s face. The method stores the best photo with at least the current date in the database. A computer-readable medium of one embodiment has instructions stored thereon to perform a method. This method detects an event, and in response thereto causes a digital camera to take one or more photos of the person. The method determines the best photo of the person that includes the best picture of the face of the person, and causes this best photo to be stored with at least the current date in the database.
At least some embodiments of the invention provide for advantages not found within the prior art. Rather than having to review several days worth of videotape from a video surveillance system, a user only has to scroll through the various faces stored in the database during a period of time, which is likely to be less time-consuming. Because the system determines and stores the best photo of each person""s face, the images are likely to be of better quality than those that may be stored on videotape. Where the transaction record of each person""s purchase is also recorded, the user may be able to search for the photo of the face of a desired person based on what has been purchased by him or her. Finally, the faces of people stored in the database may be able to be matched against databases of mug shots maintained by law enforcement.
At least some embodiments of the invention may be employed in conjunction with or in lieu of a video surveillance system. Still other advantages, embodiments, and aspects of the invention will become apparent by reading the detailed description that follows, and by referring to the accompanying drawings.